Category: hip hop

Fashawn’s a storyteller. His debut album Boy Meets World feels more like a novel than an album.

It’s cool how Fashawn brings you into his world to show you what he’s all about. Fashawn is expressing something real that most people can relate to. He communicates struggle in his music as well as anyone. He communicates optimism and hope in his music as well as anyone. After a few listens, you’ll feel like you know Fashawn as a person, not as an artist.

Boy Meets World is one of those albums you can play all the way through and enjoy each track. Every song is quality. There is no garbage on this album.

If you’re looking for hip hop with a relaxed feel to chill out to, this is it. There aren’t any tracks that feel like the next big hit, because that doesn’t seem to be what the album is about. It’s more of an expression of Fashawn’s journey from Fresno on up. I love the vibe to Samsonite Man. I can feel his young, naïve energy on this track, and I can definitely relate to that. This is genuine shit, so if you think hip hop sucks because it’s too superficial and everything, give this a play.

When I’m working and doing the daily routines, Fashawn is the perfect accompaniment. His music doesn’t have to consume you, it’s great to have playing all the time in the background. His album just makes you feel good.

If you’ve ever listened to Jay-Z for his confident rhymes, Drake for his witty lyrics, or anything that sounds amazing without autotune, you owe it to yourself to get on J. Cole.

After I first listened to J. Cole, I thought meh. I randomly gave it a few more tries, and now I can’t stop listening to his mixtape. J. Cole’s flow has grittiness to it. He doesn’t have that melodically smooth flow some artists do, but instead his bars punch and jab in a similar fashion to Jay-Z. I like this flow better. Jay has to be one of my favorite artists, and J. Cole somehow throws a delivery like the legend.

J. Cole’s content is real and not superficially gangster or materialistic and self-centered. He meets a medium between the overly hard rapper with no real self confidence and autotune that sounds like a crying girl. His delivery is confident, but not ridiculously cocky. His essence is genuine and real.

What I find phenomenal with J. Cole is how he can transition from a soft, relaxing melody in “Losing My Balance” to a hard-hitting track like “Til’ Infinity” without sacrificing his authenticity. His wordplay is elite and very diverse. Some of the puns he throws in make you think twice sometimes (beginning of “Ladies”, leav’em M’ alone like Stockton).

I wouldn’t post about J. Cole’s Warm Up if I didn’t consider it one of my favorite albums I’ve ever listened to. J. Cole’s got talent. And he hasn’t even released a real album yet.